Introduction

“Soprano Monica Huisman’s performance was worth the price of admission alone. If you haven’t heard this fine singer yet, pencil her in, the next chance you get. Exuding dramatic flair with a resonant voice as rich as melted chocolate, she was a pleasure to hear…”
Winnipeg Free Press, Holly Harris

Biography

Touted as the ‘next great voice on the Canadian Opera scene exuding dramatic flair with a resonant voice as rich as melted chocolate’ (Winnipeg Free Press), lyric soprano Monica Huisman has already made her mark in the musical world.  Born and raised in Winnipeg, Ms. Huisman received her operatic training at the University of Toronto in the studio of Mary Morrison.  From there she soared, completing two years as resident soprano for the Vancouver Opera’s Young Artists Ensemble.  Ms Huisman continued on to the International Opera Centre of the Netherlands, where she made her European debut at the famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam performing the role of Garsenda in ‘Francesca da Rimini’.  

She appeared for Vancouver Opera as a fiery Frasquita in Carmen, Pacific Opera Victoria in the roles of Musetta in La Boheme, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Frasquita in Carmen and the Fox in Cunning Little Vixen (in which the Globe and Mail hailed her Fox to be “…voluptuous and irresistible…”), with Manitoba Opera as Musetta in La Boheme, Pamina in the Magic Flute and Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte, and Edmonton and Calgary Opera as Ellen in Lakme. She has collaborated with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the NAC Orchestra in Mark Goddens’ World Premiere of the Magic Flute, as well as Strauss’ Four Last Songs in which “...the bereavement of this work was a deeply affecting journey with the heart-rending voice of Ms. Huisman…”(Winnipeg Free Press).  On very short notice, Ms. Huisman stepped into learning and performing the role of Micaela in Opera Hamilton’s production of Carmen, in which Opera Canada hailed her the ‘star of the show’ and critics as ‘exquisite’. (Hamilton Spectator) Last season she was heard in Saskatoon in Brahms’ Requiem and in Winnipeg in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.

Awards include being regional finalist in the Metropolitan National Council auditions, finalist in the International Vocal Competition ‘s’Hertogenbosch’ in the Netherlands, first prize in the Debut Young artist recital series, first prize in the Czech/Slovak competition in Montreal, and finalist in the Jeunesses Ambassadeurs Lyriques competition in Montreal.

Further engagements have included the role of Celeste in Manitoba Opera’s production of Transit of Venus, Josephine in Edmonton Opera’s H.M.S. Pinafore and Musetta for Edmonton Opera’s production of La Boheme.  She was heard with the Saskatoon Symphony in a concert of Schubert and Poulenc, and the Regina Symphony in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

 

                                                 January 2013

 

 

For further information, please visit www.monicahuisman.com.

Full Repertoire

OPERA

Bellini	Giulietta	I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI
Bizet	Frasquita	CARMEN
Davies, Victor	Celeste	TRANSIT OF VENUS (premier)
Floyd	Mrs.Hayes/Susannah	SUSANNAH
Gounod	Juliette	ROMÉO et JULIETTE
Handel	Dorinda	ORLANDO
Humperdinck	Sandman/Dewfairy/Gretel	HÄNSEL UND GRETEL
Janáček	Fox	CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN
Mozart	Countess/Susannah Pamina Fiordiligi Donna Anna/Donna Elvira	LE NOZZE DI FIGARO DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE COSÌ FAN TUTTE DON GIOVANNI
Puccini	Musetta	LA BOHÈME
Pura, B.	Mme. Riel	BATOCHE
Rossini	Clorinda	CINDERELLA
Sullivan	Fleta	IOLANTHE
Zandonai	Garsenda	FRANCESCA DA RIMINI

 

CONCERT

Bach, J.S.	Magnificat
Beethoven	Symphony No. 9 Mass in C
Brahms	Neue Liebeslieder Walzer Op. 65
	Requiem
Handel	Messiah
Mahler	Symphony No. 2 and 4
Mendelssohn	Elijah
Poulenc	Gloria
Rutter	Magnificat
Schubert Strauss, R.	Mirjam's Siegesgesang Vier Letzte Lieder
Verdi	Quattro pezzi sacri

Engaged By

Calgary Opera
Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Edmonton Opera
Edmonton Symphony
Hamilton Philharmonic
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Manitoba Opera
Montréal (CBC)
National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa
Netherlands’ Promenade Orchestra
Pacific Opera Victoria
Okanagan Vocal Arts Festival
Opera Ontario
Opera Saskatchewan
Orchestra London
Radio Netherlands Orchestra
Regina Symphony
Saskatoon Symphony
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver (CBC)
Vancouver Opera
Winnipeg Symphony

Reviews

“Winnipeg-born Huisman's voice that grew, in turn, out of the choir's texture became another highlight. Her molten soprano soared over the combined 100-plus musicians and 120 singers with ease, eventually joined by Krause as they sung like angels extolling the power of faith.”
Winnipeg Free Press, Holly Harris [Mahler Symphony No. 2]

"Winnipeg soprano Monica Huisman was appropriately demure as peasant girl Micaela, who, in sharp contrast to Carmen, stood almost stock-still while delivering her arias.  Huisman has proven herself to be a totally relieable performer, pristinely accurate and consistently crafting each note into a work of art.  In Je dis que rien, she was a woman on a mission, determined to confront Carmen.  We tingled at her innocence-tinged bravery.
Winnipeg Free Press - Gwenda Nemerofsky

“…the star was Monica Huisman’s Micaëla …with only two opportunities to ravish her audience, Huisman triumphed both times…”

“…partnered by Monica Huisman as the Fox, whose silken voice and fine stage sense belong in the show-stealing category…

“…soprano Monica Huisman’s performance was worth the price of admission alone. .. a resonant voice as rich as melted chocolate, she was a pleasure to hear…”

“…Monica Huisman made a compelling Pamina, beautiful to watch and with her dark rich tone, a more interesting Princess to hear than many more famous sopranos.”

“…Huisman sang with full throttle vocalism and ample emotion transforming what some might dismiss as a bel-canto bauble into a vivid scene.”

“….listen to young Canadian sensation Monica Huisman in the role of Musetta…”

“…Monica Huisman’s Musetta is endowed with an enormous voice used with all its pouting, preening and sneering velocity in the opera’s best-known aria “Quando m’en vo…”

“…soprano Monica Huisman invested in the role of  Frasquita with fiery Hispanic temperament and

vocal excellence…”

“…Huisman’s expressive soprano led the way through the Four Last Songs…such sad beauty was contained in Huisman’s interpretation that the audience had her back twice after its initial response.”

“…fantastic young soprano Monica Huisman. As one of the high ladies,  provided an incredible sound,

foreshadowing the tragedy to follow for Francesca da  Rimini…”

“…and Monica Huisman as Musetta , maintained a sense that “less is more.” Her version of Musetta’s Waltz positively sizzled with sensuality but there was always a sense of disciplined restraint.  Her final top notes tapered to a whisper, embodying both flawless technique and dramatic impact….”

Morning Star - Okanagan Vocal Arts Festival

 

“…Canadian Soprano Monica Huisman as Micaela is blessed with a lovely

lyric voice that has a seductive throaty sound”.

CFMX Toronto Classical